Mansfield Charitable Foundation
The Mansfield Charitable Foundation is a private foundation established in 1984 and based in Tama, Iowa, with an additional presence in Belle Plaine, Iowa. The foundation is the legacy of Wesley and Irene Mansfield, who built their wealth through diverse business ventures including operating the King Theater, managing the Blackbird Grill, running an oil company, and building a livestock auction. The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program focused on supporting nonprofit organizations and governmental entities in its core communities.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$745K
-1.8% YoY
Grant Count
33
-2.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$23K
+1.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking priorities include:
- Human Services
- Education (with particular emphasis on higher education and educational foundations)
- Arts and Culture
- Community Development
The foundation supports essential city services, restoration projects, training programs, and annual scholarships. Program funding and scholarships represent the most common types of awards.
Grantmaking
Mark Harrington, Treasurer
Grant Range
s:** Grants typically range between $3,000 and $100,000, with historical awards documented at $5,000 to $117,500.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's primary focus areas are:
- Belle Plaine, Iowa
- Tama, Iowa
- Albion, Nebraska
The foundation also funds organizations in other Iowa communities including Genoa, Chelsea, and Des Moines.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending July 2025:
- Total Assets: $9,847,943
- Total Revenue: $871,963
- Total Expenses: $902,839
- Net Assets: $9,847,943
- Total Liabilities: $0
Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(3) organization, tax-exempt since November 1984
EIN: 42-1226535
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
160 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include City of Tama ($100,000), South Tama Csd ($100,000), City of Belle Plaine ($75,751).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AKRON COMM CHURCH ALBION, NE | HVAC UPGRADE | $2,500 |
| ALBION AREA ARTS COUNCIL ALBION, NE | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ALBION EDUCATION FOUNDATION ALBION, NE | SCHOLARSHIPS | $10,000 |
| ALBION ROSE HILL CEMETERY INC ALBION, NE | LANDSCAPING PROJECT | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS-IOWA DES MOINES, IA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| BELLE PLAINE COM SCHOOL DIST BELLE PLAINE, IA | STEM PROGRAM YR 8 OF 10 | $30,000 |
| BELLE PLAINE COM SCHOOL DIST BELLE PLAINE, IA | HOUSING TRADES PROGRAM | $36,000 |
| BELLE PLAINE COMM SCHOOL DIST FOUND BELLE PLAINE, IA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $10,000 |
| BELLE PLAINE COMM SCHOOL DIST FOUND BELLE PLAINE, IA | ATHENA ART PROGRAM | $5,300 |
| BELLE PLAINE COMM SCHOOL DIST FOUND BELLE PLAINE, IA | STEM SCHOLARSHIP | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Eugene Severson – Chairman
- Mark Harrington – Treasurer
- Bradley Cook – Secretary
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRADLEY COOK | CHAIRMAN | 5 | $25,000 |
| MARK HARRINGTON | TREASURER | 10 | $25,000 |
| BARBARA GARLING | SECRETARY | 5 | $25,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation does not maintain a public website, which limits transparency into its current grant strategies and detailed guidelines. However, the foundation remains an accessible funding source for Iowa organizations and occasional Nebraska groups working across a wide variety of nonprofit fields.
Grants exceeding $2.1 million approved by Richland County FoundationFrequently Asked Questions
What does Mansfield Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation's grantmaking priorities include: • **Human Services** • **Education** (with particular emphasis on higher education and educational foundations) • **Arts and Culture** • **Community Development** The foundation supports essential city services, restoration projects, training programs, and annual scholarships. Program funding and scholarships represent the most common types of awards.
How do I apply for a grant from Mansfield Charitable Foundation?
**Grant Sizes:** Grants typically range between $3,000 and $100,000, with historical awards documented at $5,000 to $117,500. **Annual Giving:** The foundation typically provides less than $1 million in grants per year. Most recent fiscal year (ending July 2025) showed total giving of $745,376. **Application Process:** • Applications must be received by **May 15** annually to be considered • Grants are generally disbursed in July of each year • Applicants must be nonprofit organizations or gove…
Where does Mansfield Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation's primary focus areas are: • **Belle Plaine, Iowa** • **Tama, Iowa** • **Albion, Nebraska** The foundation also funds organizations in other Iowa communities including Genoa, Chelsea, and Des Moines.
What size grants does Mansfield Charitable Foundation award?
In 2025, Mansfield Charitable Foundation awarded 33 grants totaling $745K — an average of about $23K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Mansfield Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Mansfield Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1226535. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mansfield Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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